Variability of exostoses on human jaws during the past six millennia in Northern China / Variabilidad de las exostosis en las mandíbulas humanas durante los últimos seis milenios en el norte de China

SUMMARY: The aim of this study was to survey oral exostoses in human populations that belonged to the same region encompassing five periods over 6000 years, to determine the prevalence and its changing trend over time. A total of 306 human jaws belonging to the modern Xi'an region and four archeological sites, Banpo (6700-5600 years BP), Shaolingyuan (3000 years BP), Shanren (2200 years BP) and Chang'an (1000-1300 years BP), were investigated. The degree of buccal exostosis (BE), torus mandibularis (TM) and torus palatinus (TP) and the TP shape were recorded. The prevalence of BE, TM, and TP in the five groups was 20.8 %-62.5 %, 17.5 %-71.5 %, and 31.7 %-74.2 %, respectively. The differences in the three types of exostoses among the five groups were all statistically significant, but only TM and TP showed a decreasing trend over time. A high and quite diverse prevalence of oral exostoses was found in the five groups of samples. Decreasing trends in relation to time for TM and TP were detected.

RESUMEN: El objetivo de este estudio fue sondear las exostosis orales en poblaciones humanas que pertenecían a la misma región abarcando cinco períodos durante 6000 años, para determinar la prevalencia y su tendencia cambiante a lo largo del tiempo. Un total de 306 mandíbulas humanas pertenecientes a la moderna región de Xi'an y cuatro sitios arqueológicos, Banpo (6700-5600 años AP), Shaolingyuan (3000 años AP), Shanren (2200 años AP) y Chang'an (1000-1300 años AP) BP), fueron investigados. Se registró el grado de exostosis bucal (EO), torus mandibular (TM) y torus palatino (TP) y la forma de TP. La prevalencia de EO, TM y TP en los cinco grupos fue 20,8 % -62,5 %, 17,5 % -71,5 % y 31,7 % -74,2 %, respectivamente. Las diferencias en los tres tipos de exostosis entre los cinco grupos fueron todas estadísticamente significativas, pero solo TM y TP mostraron una tendencia decreciente con el tiempo. Se encontró una prevalencia alta y bastante diversa de exostosis oral en los cinco grupos de muestras. Se detectaron tendencias decrecientes en relación al tiempo para TM y TP.

Pharmacokinetic and tissue distributions study of adenosine, 4- hydroxybenzyl alcohol and Parishin C from Gastrodia elata extract in rats

The plant Gastrodia elata is a type of the orchid plant Gastrodia elata Bl. which contains glycosides, phenols, polysaccharides, sterols, and organic acids and a variety of active ingredients are proved to have certain pharmacological activities. To understand the process in the body of Gastridua elata, we used HPLC to study pharmacokinetics and tissue distributions of adenosine, 4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol and Parishin C in rats. The results showed that the three ingredients could be detected in plasma and different organizations at various time points. There was no significant difference in systemic clearance at three ingredients and it may be show that the three ingredients distributed [0.475+/-0.025, 0.518+/-0.033, 0.699+/-0.051] quickly and eliminated [5.37+/-0.87, 4.54+/-0.69, 5.34+/-0.82] slowly in plasma. There was the highest content of adenosine in spleen, followed by liver and lung. The highest content of 4-hydroxybenzylacohol in liver, and was higher in spleen. Parishin C was highest in heart, followed by liver and spleen. It is obvious that the contents of three ingredients are all higher in liver. The trends of the three ingredients' contents in G. rhizome extract were consistent with the contents in the plasma after intravenous administration

Effect of astragaloside against the oxidative damage on endothelial cells / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effect of astragaloside on oxidative low-density lipoprotein (Ox-LDL) mediated oxidative damage of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMCs) were isolated by Ficoll density gradient centrifugation, and EPCs were identified by flow cytometry. Adherent cells were collected after seven-day incubation and randomly divided into the normal control group, the Ox-LDL group (as the model group, at the dose of 100 microg/mL), the low, middle, and high astragaloside groups (with 100 microg/mL Ox-LDL plus 2, 10, and 50 microg/mL astragaloside). Twenty-four h later, the proliferation and adhesion capabilities of EPCs were observed using MTT colorimetry and the adhesion capability detection. Levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malonaldehyde (MDA) in the cell supernate of each group were determined.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After Ox-LDL damage, the proliferative and adhesive capacities of EPCs were significantly injured (53 +/- 8 vs 42 +/- 6, 0.49 +/- 0.12 vs 0.37 +/- 0.02, both P<0.05). The SOD content obviously decreased (21.95 +/- 1.43 vs 14.76 +/- 3.99, P<0.01), the MDA content obviously increased (3.72 +/- 0.30 vs 5.57 +/- 0.64, P<0.01). After intervened by astragaloside for 24 h, the proliferative and adhesive capacities of EPCs were significantly improved. The SOD contents of astragaloside intervention groups were obviously improved and the MDA content obviously lowered.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Astragaloside showed significant protection on Ox-LDL damaged EPCs. Its mechanism might be correlated with antioxidative damage.</p>

Effects of Danshen on number and activity of endothelial progenitor cells of patients with hypercholesterolemia / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of Danshen on number and activity of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) of patients with Hypercholesterolemia.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>24 patients with Hypercholesterolemia were randomLy divided into 2 groups: control group (n = 12), and treatment group (n = 12, receiving Composite Denshen Pilulae, 10# tid for 2 weeks). after 2 weeks, 20 mL peripheral blood was obtained from each patient, Mononuclear fraction of human peripheral blood was obtained by density gradient centrifugation, plated on fibronectin coated culture dishes. The cells were identified by immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry and tested the ability to intake ac-LDL. Cell clusters were viewed with an inverted microscope, fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis of PE-CD34 and FITC-AC133 was performed to detect number of EPCs, EPC proliferation and migration were assayed with MTT assay, modified Boyden chamber assay. EPCs adhesion ability assay was performed by replating cells on fibronectin-coated dishes, and then counting adherent cells.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Numbers of EPCs (10(3) cells per 1 mL peripheral blood) of treatment group was higher than control group (7.20 +/- 1.29 vs 6.88 +/- 1.00). Compared with group control, numbers of clusters (per 40 power microscopic field), adhesive EPCs (per 400 power microscopic field) and migratory EPCs (per 200 power microscopic field) of treatment group were significantly increased (4.47 +/- 0.94 vs 3.38 +/- 0.57, P <0.01, 11.81 +/- 2.29 vs 10.03 +/- 1.32, P <0.05 and 15.75 +/- 2.27 vs 11.95 +/- 1.28, P <0.01, respectively), while OD vallue of treatment group were significantly increased too (0.27 +/- 0.04 vs 0. 20 +/- 0.03, P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Danshen can significantly enhance EPCs functional activity of patients with Hypercholesterolemia.</p>

Effects of compound Salvia injection on number and activity of endothelial progenitor cells / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of Compound Salvia injection (CSI) on the number and activity of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs).</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Mononuclear fraction of human umbilical cord blood was obtained by density gradient centrifugation and plated on fibronectin coated culture dishes. Cells were divided in to five groups: group control, group VEGF, group CSI 50, group CSI 10 and group CSI 2 (supplemented with none cytokine, VEGF 10 ng x mL(-1), CSI 50, 10, 2 microg x mL(-1), respectively). After six days in culture, cell clusters were viewed with an inverted microscope, fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis of PE-CD34 and FITC-VE-Cadherin was performed to detect number of EPCs, adhesion assay was performed by replating cells on fibronectin coated dishes, and then counting adherent cells.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Numbers of EPCs of group VEGF, group CSI 10 and group CSI 2 were significantly increased as compared with those of group control ( P < 0.01, P < 0.05, P < 0.01, respectively), and numbers of EPCs of group CSI 2 were more than those of group CSI 10 and group V (P < 0.01). Compared with group control, number of EPCs of group CSI 50 was significantly decreased (P < 0.01). Compared with group control, numbers of clusters and adhesive EPCs of group CSI 10 and group CSI 2 were significantly increased, while those of group CSI 50 were significantly decreased.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Low concentration CSI can significantly promote EPCs augmentation and enhance its functional activity, while high concentration CSI significantly restrains it.</p>